President Trump has ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replaced him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, orchestrating a major change to his national security team amid delicate negotiations with North Korea, White House officials said Tuesday.

Trump last Friday asked Tillerson to step aside, and the embattled top diplomat cut short his trip to Africa on Monday to return to Washington.

Remember how it was fake news when media outlets reported that Trump planned to replace Tillerson? "No...fake news. Tillerson is doing great."

Hmmm, I guess Betsy Devos will have to wait till tomorrow or next week to be fired.

So how is this for International relations? Heck, Let's put the guy in charge of spying on you, in charge of negotiating with you. You should be willing to negotiate knowing that he has dirt on you right?

And so soon after fully condemning Russia for the UK poison attacks. Makes you wonder.

"Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!"

So, he actually congratulated Tillerson for having been fired. You can't make that up.

Remember how it was fake news when media outlets reported that Trump planned to replace Tillerson? "No...fake news. Tillerson is doing great."

Those rumors started one year ago. Talk about a broken clock...

I believe he is referring to the specific news that was reported at the end of November that was called "fake":

The White House has developed a plan to force out Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, whose relationship with President Trump has been strained, and replace him with Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director, perhaps within the next several weeks, senior administration officials said on Thursday.

Funny that this came after reports that Tillerson was chosen because Putin 'vetoed' the first choice (which probably would have been Romney).Tillerson was seen as much more sympathetic to Russia, due to his previous dealings with Russia and encounters with Putin.

I'll do my own airline. With Blackjack. And hookers. In fact, forget the airline.

Its getting to the point that anything Trump calls fake news is almost guaranteed to be true. How anyone thinks he has any credibility left is beyond me. I guess willful ignorance is the name of the game amongst Trump supporters.

Remember, for a certain subset of people here anything can be perceived as making you "against Trump" (and of course unfairly/undeservedly so). The response is almost always something like "but Clinton/Obama" or Dfw's like "TDS", respond "you just hate Trump/can't accept his absolute greatness" etc. Very simplistic responses without any real insight (just soundbites really, like tweets).

It has becomes fun to watch.

Tugg

I don’t know that I am unafraid to be myself, but it is hard to be somebody else. -W. Shatner

Why are you assuming Trump's comment is insincere? It's perfectly normal to thank someone when they are leaving a role.

Maybe because it is public knowledge that there is no love lost between the two (and please do not even try to argue that this is not the case)? Trump dislikes Tillerson because he actually is not a sycophant, and Tillerson realised that there was nothing capable of synthesising anything remotely intelligent and decent between the ears of the man who currently occupies the position of POTUS.While Tillerson is apparently not an effective and well-supported SecState as he tried to push through drastic reduction in State Department budget, at least he should be recognised as a man who has some integrity and self-respect, and someone who persevered even when his boss publicly undermined his initiatives. Now a noted hawk will become US's top diplomat just when North Korea is showing some signs of backing down from their nuclear armament, what can possibly go wrong?

I'm doubly disappointed - firstly because Tillerson was a level-headed and competent individual who, while not always publicly visible, was doing good work. My second disappointment is that the obvious choice for his replacement, Ambassador Nikki Haley, was not tapped for the role.

One thing that baffles me. Did Trump not vet this guy thoroughly before selecting him? How did Trump not realize that he would have problems with this guy when he hired him? Something doesn't seem right here. I wonder how much time Trump took to pick some of these people. Tillerson is the obvious one, but Trump cant stand Sessions either. He had to fire other cabinet members as well. This does not make Trump look good at all. And honestly, I cant defend him on this. Nor can I defend a lot of crap he does.

You wonder if Obama winning a second term was a good thing for this country. If Mitt Romney had been elected, we would not have Trump today.

One thing that baffles me. Did Trump not vet this guy thoroughly before selecting him? How did Trump not realize that he would have problems with this guy when he hired him? Something doesn't seem right here. I wonder how much time Trump took to pick some of these people. Tillerson is the obvious one, but Trump cant stand Sessions either. He had to fire other cabinet members as well. This does not make Trump look good at all. And honestly, I cant defend him on this. Nor can I defend a lot of crap he does.

You wonder if Obama winning a second term was a good thing for this country. If Mitt Romney had been elected, we would not have Trump today.

Trump didn't vet anyone. The administration settled for the few sycophants who were willing to sacrifice their careers to work for him. Hope Hicks' professional life is over. She ought to go back to Greenwich and marry up while she still has her looks. That McEntee character who was sacked today is going to be hawking cars or residential real estate for the next 50 years.

One thing that baffles me. Did Trump not vet this guy thoroughly before selecting him? How did Trump not realize that he would have problems with this guy when he hired him? Something doesn't seem right here.

You're just catching on? The moment Trump nominated Tillerson, every one with a brain asked "why him?". Up until his nomination, Tillerson and Trump had never even met. But what were we told? "He's a CEO so he's perfect for the job because a CEO engages in deals AND has to oversee projects around the world". CLEARLY, that has worked out.

apodino wrote:

Tillerson is the obvious one, but Trump cant stand Sessions either.

There's a video on YouTube from CGP Grey that talks about why this happens. Trump was eager to have Sessions be the first mainstream Republican in Congress to endorse him. But as CGP explains: the keys to GAIN power are not the same keys to KEEP power. Sessions helped Trump get elected; Trump rewarded Sessions, but the way Trump has been behaving, it's clear he has no use for Sessions anymore and if it weren't for the fact that to fire Sessions would be a political scandal, he's pushing him out by keeping the pressure on him. It was the same reason Chris Christie went nowhere with Trump: after being named transition director, he was replaced by Pence. "Thanks for the support Christie, but you're out".

apodino wrote:

You wonder if Obama winning a second term was a good thing for this country. If Mitt Romney had been elected, we would not have Trump today.

You don't know that. You don't know if Trump would have still been the insurgent candidate against the establishment Republican president. Republicans (and people overall) had a choice between sensible Republicans, wackos, and has-beens. They chose the wackiest of the wackiest for reasons that, to this day, still don't make sense (as my manager would say: "F**k politicians"). If they wanted a Mitt Romney, they had plenty of Mitt Romneys to pick.

Pompano is a strong supporter of the USA invading Iran and destroying their nuke works. How long before we are bombing there ? Maybe another 'October Surprise' ? At least with today's firings, none of them will face artillery, hanging or a firing squad.

What I worry about is how Trump is destroying the bureaucracy of and what little respect the USA had left that is necessary for it to function. Eventually it will hurt the stock market, causing a major economic crash, will be more wars and conflicts continuing, expanding and initiating while real needs of our citizens will be ignored. I just hope we can save this country from this sadistic, sick SOB that a minority of Americans chose.

One thing that baffles me. Did Trump not vet this guy thoroughly before selecting him? How did Trump not realize that he would have problems with this guy when he hired him? Something doesn't seem right here.

You're just catching on? The moment Trump nominated Tillerson, every one with a brain asked "why him?". Up until his nomination, Tillerson and Trump had never even met. But what were we told? "He's a CEO so he's perfect for the job because a CEO engages in deals AND has to oversee projects around the world". CLEARLY, that has worked out.

To be fair most cabinet members don't meet or know the President on a personal level until they are vetted and courted for the position. Same with judges from top to bottom. That one fact isn't an indication of the quality of the candidate.

To be fair most cabinet members don't meet or know the President on a personal level until they are vetted and courted for the position. Same with judges from top to bottom. That one fact isn't an indication of the quality of the candidate.

No...but usually cabinet members have been either in the spotlight for being from DC, a state official, or having made a name for themselves for their work. Before Trump nominated Tillerson, I didn't even know who he was. And that's not a big deal...but a CEO would have probably been a better suit for something related to the economy, not diplomacy. Name Tillerson to Treasury? Makes sense. Exxon CEO to Department of Energy? Makes sense (not ethical, but I could see the logic). A CEO as the nation's top diplomat? Nope.

As for judges, usually judges are recommended to district courts by the state's Congressional delegation (namely the state's senators who provide a list of alternatives suitable to both). For circuit courts and the SCOTUS, judges elevated are those who have already served in a lower branch or have served in a law-related position at the federal level. You won't see a district judge immediately promoted to SCOTUS justice unless they've already served years upon years. I get the whole "rock the establishment", but for something as revered as the courts, I'd prefer it be the last thing that falls to partisan games or unconventional promotions (heck, why can't I serve as a SCOTUS justice?).

It is perfectly normal to thank them when they are retiring for stepping down, now when you fire them.

Look around for politicians that were forced to go. similar to a burial: for the dead only nice words.But note that the camera is cut when they turn. You don't get to see the boot sticking out the rear.

Mattis is the last decent person. He's popular amongst the men and women of the DoD and I like him because a true soldier (in the all encompassing definition) advocates peace talks, which he (and Tillerson) did for North Korea.

Dallas isn't Texas, it's just South Oklahoma.

The thoughts and opinions shared under this username are mine and are not influenced by my employer.

Russia 'elected' a spy to be their head of state, now the US has placed a spy as their most prominent foreign official, whilst placing a torturer as their new head of spying. If someone had put that plot in a novel, they'd be laughed out of town.

From receips and radials over straight pipes to big fans - been there, done that, got the hearing defects to prove